Classic Clough

[Adamrambez]

I'll always remember Roy Hodgeson pulling a chipmunkesque face before repeatedly smashing his head in to a wall.

Roy Hodgeson is often seen pecking discarded grass-seed when pitches are re-laid.

[Dimmu]

A KICK FROM THE GOALKEEPER. I apologise to those who take exception with what I said, I didn't mean a Goal-kick as such. Would you like me to edit my post or with my apology do?

 

Regardless, Sammon should not be off-side from Grant receiving the ball and kicking it upfield. You'd like to think having been on the pitch for such a short period of time and the situation being what it was that he was concentrating at the time. Apparently not

 

 

Fair enough.

 

But you're right, we shouldn't give silly freekicks at all (especially in the end and ESPECIALLY when under serious pressure)

[cannable]

Roy Hodgeson is often seen pecking discarded grass-seed when pitches are re-laid.

Much better than his fellow England candidates hobbies. Harry Redknapp is know to eat plants and excrete on grass, while covered in his own mucus.

[Mostyn6]

My whole reaction to signing Eustace feels vindicated. I would rather won three points and been wrong, but seeing the cross sail tamely past the static Eustace onto the volley for equaliser really took me to a new level beyond fury.

It was such an inept display of tactical nouse and a convincing demonstration of how to neutralise your OWN team in three easy steps, I had to physically bow my head in embarrassment over here in Crete when proudly donning Derby shirt and proclaiming my allegiance.

I sensed a tinge of confusion and frustration in the players too.

[MuespachRam]

Just so I am absolutely clear....the season is completely over now isn't it?

 

Can no one see that the draw was a fair result, we had chances and Blackburn had probably more chances but let's not let the truth get in the way of a chance to slag off the manager eh.!

[weedram]

Just seen the game in SKY.

Clough looked a nervous wreck on the bench, anyone else see him biting his nails and with his head in his hands?

Hughes and Russell looked mighty pissed sat behind him too.

Agree. No-ones at their best when theyre nervous like that - one of Brian Cloughs best qualities was his confidence.

Hopefully it will all settle down soon & they can concentrate on the football not all the expectations.

[G STAR RAM]

Just so I am absolutely clear....the season is completely over now isn't it?

Can no one see that the draw was a fair result, we had chances and Blackburn had probably more chances but let's not let the truth get in the way of a chance to slag off the manager eh.!

Most people on here will know how much I have supported the board and Clough but even I am struggling after yesterday.

I was going to post last night but decided against it to see if a good sleep would make my feelings less severe.

First home game of the season, a good atmosphere and a good chance to get the supporters behind the team.

Clough seemed to do everything possible to stifle that.

He started the game with Hendrick out of position again...why?

He then takes off the two best players...why?

He then decides to employ the most negative tactics possible for a home team...why?

I know it was the first game of the season and may be a bit early for knee jerk reactions but seems to me he is not learning from his mistakes. To hear the reaction of the fans leaving the ground it seems many share the above views.

[ramesses]

My whole reaction to signing Eustace feels vindicated. I would rather won three points and been wrong, but seeing the cross sail tamely past the static Eustace onto the volley for equaliser really took me to a new level beyond fury.

It was such an inept display of tactical nouse and a convincing demonstration of how to neutralise your OWN team in three easy steps, I had to physically bow my head in embarrassment over here in Crete when proudly donning Derby shirt and proclaiming my allegiance.

I sensed a tinge of confusion and frustration in the players too.

 

I sense a tinge of melodramatic queenery.

[Pearl Ram]

I sense a tinge of melodramatic queenery.

I'm still a bit sickened this morning but I've got to admit that made me laugh. 

[drgoodspeak]

"I'm delighted we didn't lose" - Nigel Clough.

[gboil]

clough again another big mistake why o why take a striker off and replace with a midfielder so dissapointed with him TOP SIX dont make me laugh

[davenportram]

clough again another big mistake why o why take a striker off and replace with a midfielder so dissapointed with him TOP SIX dont make me laugh

A striker was taken off who was knackered. He had also been moved wide onto the right so wasn't playing as a striker at all - so he was replaced with a right midfielder.

Russell didn't actually do a lot in the game.

[Alph]

Most people on here will know how much I have supported the board and Clough but even I am struggling after yesterday.

I was going to post last night but decided against it to see if a good sleep would make my feelings less severe.

First home game of the season, a good atmosphere and a good chance to get the supporters behind the team.

Clough seemed to do everything possible to stifle that.

He started the game with Hendrick out of position again...why?

He then takes off the two best players...why?

He then decides to employ the most negative tactics possible for a home team...why?

I know it was the first game of the season and may be a bit early for knee jerk reactions but seems to me he is not learning from his mistakes. To hear the reaction of the fans leaving the ground it seems many share the above views.

I also wouldn't call for Nigel to be sacked but quite often I have a good moan about his negativity.

However yesterday I thought the team sitting back had more to do with their individual ability to not pass the ball. I mean what else can they do when certain individuals are constantly hoofing. When we did have the odd chance to construct a decent attack Ward decided he was a one man team.

Yesterday I blame the players as much as Nigel. Ward, Buxton, Forsyth were giving the ball to red shirts as much as anything. Bryson didnt contribute in any area of the field. Even Grant was focused on passing to Keane.

One thing that has annoyed me about Nigel is that he had all summer to find a way to accommodate Hendrick, Hughes and Bryson. He gave 352 a few minutes in Ireland and decided it looked uncomfortable (what did we expect) He didnt experiment with any solutions.

From all this reaction from different people I'm not sure why Bris gets so much stick. He calls Nigel a negative manager but 'negative' is the word of the day right now. He's not even posted!

One game in fellas. We didnt lose. Lets give it a few more before we settle into mid table misery mode.

[Alph]

"I'm delighted we didn't lose" - Nigel Clough.

Did he say that?

That bugs me a bit,

Hughes is a player I adore. I could watch him all day. He's good at his job. He didnt seem delighted.

Wish we could clone him.

[RIMBAUD]

the little run hughes had in the second half was excellent.

 

I would say Clough is cautious rather than overtly negative.  that might sound like quibbling but i think he wants to hold what he's got and most of us would have us going for another goal.

 

my feeling is that the subbing of russell whilst entirely understandable if he was running out of steam, handed the initiative to the opposition whilst suggesting to our own players that we were going defensive.

 

we aren't great defensively imo - we look better going forward. you should always try to play to your strengths.

[G STAR RAM]

I also wouldn't call for Nigel to be sacked but quite often I have a good moan about his negativity.

However yesterday I thought the team sitting back had more to do with their individual ability to not pass the ball. I mean what else can they do when certain individuals are constantly hoofing. When we did have the odd chance to construct a decent attack Ward decided he was a one man team.

Yesterday I blame the players as much as Nigel. Ward, Buxton, Forsyth were giving the ball to red shirts as much as anything. Bryson didnt contribute in any area of the field. Even Grant was focused on passing to Keane.

One thing that has annoyed me about Nigel is that he had all summer to find a way to accommodate Hendrick, Hughes and Bryson. He gave 352 a few minutes in Ireland and decided it looked uncomfortable (what did we expect) He didnt experiment with any solutions.

From all this reaction from different people I'm not sure why Bris gets so much stick. He calls Nigel a negative manager but 'negative' is the word of the day right now. He's not even posted!

One game in fellas. We didnt lose. Lets give it a few more before we settle into mid table misery mode.

 

I agree with this to a certain extent.

 

The problem is though whenever the defenders got the ball the midfielders were virtually sat on top of them leaving no outlet other than a long ball to Martin who had nobody within 20 yards of him.

 

I don't agree with having all of your players back in their own area defending corners and free kicks either, if the ball gets cleared its obviously going to come straight back.

 

There is nothing wrong with defending a lead but why not defend from the front rather than from 10 yards in front of our own goal?

[Angry Ram]

It was like watching many an away game from last season.. Got ourselves in a decent positions only for tactical changes to ruin the game. This is not the players, more the instructions given from the management team (short corners). He has an obession with closing out games but his method of closing out the game brings huge pressure on our defense. We simply hoof the ball up field and invite pressure back on ourselves.. This was his sole tactic last term away from home and it DID NOT WORK. 

At least at home last year we on occasion put some teams to the sword, Watford etc.. Will the negativity spread to home games this year??? God I hope not.. He has Eustace in the locker now and I felt he was desperate to get him on yesterday, come what may.

NC also needs to sort this midfield out. Personally I feel we have one of the strongest pool of players in the Championship but he needs to find the correct formation for them. For me it's Hughes + 1, I would go for Hendrick.

He seems to be playings this flexible rotational system where they can change position constantly during the game but they are then losing shape. It was eveident in the WBA game that the back for needed a holding player in front of them, Long had a field day.. Also yesterday, a big gap in the area casued us huge problems early doors. Geoff should hold and then go on the odd storming run through. Hughes is much better suited to playing higher.. Bryson although busy does not do too much for me.

 

Martin... Something about him just does not cut it for me.. Shows some real good touches and then some shockers. Would not be my choice. Clough mentioned in his interview about Martin holding the ball up.. Really, did not soo too much of that yesterday and again suggests that NC is prefering a more 4-5-1 formation, rather than a 4-3-3.

 

I really hope I'm wrong and yes I know it's only the first game but this is going to be a long season. We have some real gems in the team and they will want to see progression rather than stagnation.

 

Positives from yesterday... HUGHES !!!   The south stand (Well done everyone).. I did not get wet either

 

Crap journey home.. 3 hours to get back to the smoke

[Silver]

To all those moaners about the negative tactics - can you say with 100% confidence that we would have won if Nigel had stayed positive?  No, clearly you cannot.  We were just as likely to lose 1-2 than win 2-0 if Nigel had not have protected the goal. As such, his tactics may have saved us a point as much as dropping us 2.

 

Blackburn were unlucky not to come away with all 3 points, they were the better team and had many more chances than us.  So getting a point from a team we probably would have lost to in previous seasons is potentially a step forward.  We will see over the next few games how we compare to last season.  One game with players (on both sides) getting up to match fitness tells us nothing.  You could clearly see players on both sides were very tired towards the end as is to be expected in a first game regardless of how pre-season has gone.  Nigel took off the two who looked the most shattered, leaving them on could have resulted in more goals against and possibly injuries so who can say it was a bad decision?

 

That all said, the thing that most needs sorting out for me is that three into two does not work in central midfield, we were no threat on the right until Coutts came on, this enabled their left back, Spurr, to attack at will and cause us problems down that side.  Also Hendrick was not effective playing wide right and only came into to the game when he moved inside but this was at the cost of making Russell less effective by moving him right.  Square pegs for square holes please Nigel....

[Angry Ram]

 

To all those moaners about the negative tactics - can you say with 100% confidence that we would have won if Nigel had stayed positive?  No, clearly you cannot.  We were just as likely to lose 1-2 than win 2-0 if Nigel had not have protected the goal. As such, his tactics may have saved us a point as much as dropping us 2.

 

No of course you can't but rather die trying.. This tactic has cost us a lot of points over the last few seasons.

 

There will be occasions when we have to do something like this in games. Games I suggest where we are getting battered anyway, not games where we are reasonably comfortable..

 

 

[Silver]

>This tactic has cost us a lot of points over the last few seasons.

 

Yep, but it has also won us more, fans only moan when it doesn't work.  They soon forget the wins and draws that are achieved as a result of those same tactics....